KEVIN BALL has left his ambassadorial role with Sunderland, bringing an end to his 32-year association with the club.

The Black Cats legend has held a number of different roles at first Roker Park, then the Stadium of Light, with his popularity with generations of supporters earning him a special place in the club’s history.

As a player, Ball made almost 400 first-team appearances after joining Sunderland from Portsmouth in 1990.

A combative central midfielder, who skippered the side in the vast majority of his matches, Ball was named Player of the Year on four occasions and was part of the side that reached the 1992 FA Cup final. He captained Sunderland to the Championship title in the 1995-96 and 1998-99 seasons.

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After leaving Wearside, he had spells with Fulham and Burnley before returning to Sunderland as a first-team coach in 2003.

He took charge of the Under-18s and Under-21s, and played an integral role in the development of a generation of players including Jordan Pickford and Jorden Henderson, both of whom went on to become England internationals.

A caretaker manager on two occasions, in 2006 and 2013, Ball was regularly utilised as a ‘safe pair of hands’ to take charge of the dressing room when things were going wrong.

Over the past decade, he has remained involved as a technical coach, a role he combined with international development and ambassadorial duties.

“Kevin is a Sunderland AFC legend in the truest sense of the word and he will always be welcome at the Stadium of Light,” said Sunderland chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus. “As a player, coach and ambassador, he has embodied the spirit of Sunderland and set an example to all of those around him, including players and staff.

“We thank him for his immense contribution and wish him well for the future.”